Marine jets collide off San Diego; pilots safe

SAN DIEGO (AP) - Two Marine fighter jets collided Wednesday over the Pacific off San Diego and both pilots were safe after one landed at a nearby base and the other ejected into the water, military officials said.

Author:
WVEC Staff

Published:
5:51 PM EST November 9, 2016

Updated:
5:51 PM EST November 9, 2016

SAN DIEGO (AP) - Two Marine fighter jets collided Wednesday over the Pacific off San Diego and both pilots were safe after one landed at a nearby base and the other ejected into the water, military officials said.

The single-seat F/A-18 Hornets collided during a daytime training mission over the ocean.

One pilot was able to land at nearby Naval Air Station North Island. The other ejected and sent a distress call. Crews rescued him from the chilly waters less than an hour after the crash, according to the Marine Corps.

Both pilots were taken to medical facilities for observation.

The cause of the crash was under investigation.

The jets belong to the Third Marine Aircraft Wing based out of Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego.

The collision follows an Oct. 25 crash involving another F/A-18 Hornet in the California desert. The pilot ejected without injuries before the jet crashed near the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center in Twentynine Palms, a sprawling base east of Los Angeles.

In July, another twin-engine Hornet went down during a training mission at the desert base, killing the pilot.